Head and neck cancer encompasses those malignant tumor pathologies that affect the area formed by the nasal cavity, lips, sinuses, mouth, larynx and pharynx.
This is a critical area for functions such as swallowing, breathing and phonation, and it also has a significant aesthetic component. For this reason, we must try to offer a complete treatment through a multidisciplinary team that includes the treatment of the tumor, but also to produce the minimum functional and aesthetic sequelae.
Head and neck tumors are those lesions that occur in the cells that cover the area. These tumors can be benign, mixed or malignant.
The most frequent malignant tumors in this area are squamous cell carcinomas. They are the sixth most prevalent cancer, being the fourth with the highest incidence in men and the eleventh in women.
What are the most frequent symptoms of head and neck cancer?
These are the warning signs that may indicate the presence of cancer:
- Lump in the neck or face that does not diminish in a few days.
- Sore or lump in the mouth that does not get better in a few days.
- Difficulty swallowing food.
- Pain when swallowing food.
- Pain in the ear when swallowing food.
- Persistent change in voice.
- Passing bloody fluid from the nose or mouth.
If any of these symptoms appear, it is advisable to consult a doctor specialized in Otorhinolaryngology for a complete exploration of the area in order to rule out this pathology.
This disease is highly curable if diagnosed early. On the contrary, the chances of cure decrease if detected in more advanced stages.
How are they treated?
The main treatment for benign or mixed tumors of the area is surgery. However, in some cases expectant management is also possible.
The treatment of head and neck cancer is currently based on surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or a combination of these.
In order to choose the most appropriate therapy, the location of the tumor, the state of the tumor and the stage of the patient must be studied in detail in each case. For early stages, monotherapy treatments are planned, which are based on surgery or radiotherapy, while for advanced stages combined treatments are carried out.
Currently, immunotherapy, which uses the patient’s immune system to fight the tumor, has shown encouraging results in advanced stages of the disease, as a complementary treatment.
For the time being, there is no single tool for the treatment of these cancers. For this reason, it is necessary to plan a personalized treatment for each individual with the aim, firstly, of guaranteeing the maximum cure rate and, also, to offer the lowest rate of sequelae.